State leaders should revisit cafe issue

September 25, 2013

A referendum on a state law that essentially bans Internet sweepstakes parlors might not be on the fall ballot. This week, Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted stated a group opposing the law did not have enough valid signatures to put the issue before voters this year.

Opponents still have a little more than a week to gather another 71,000 valid autographs. Even if they fail, Ohio legislators should consider the topic again.

At Internet cafes such as the ones in Tiffin, a patron can purchase phone and Internet time to play computer games that reveal whether the patron has won cash or other prizes in a sweepstakes. They operate similar to slot machines - too similar, for those who sought the ban.

The new state law bans the cafes from offering cash payouts and limits the value of any prize to $10. The petition drive to repeal the law followed, and continues.

But why should casinos and racinos be the only entities to offer a gambling experience in Ohio? With proper regulations, lawmakers could ensure Internet cafes indeed offer nothing more than sweepstakes - under the guise of slot machines. Operators would benefit, players could enjoy their visits and communities could collect fees or taxes in exchange for oversight.